250 acre of forest land encroached: Revanna

Raising the issue in the Legislative Assembly, he alleged that some influential people are claiming that the land has been granted to them under Akrama-Sakrama scheme, though the State Revenue department has transferred the entire land to the Forest department in 1964. The JD(S) floor leader said the Forest department had converted 226 of 250 acre land into nedutopu (mini forest) by growing various species of trees. There are records to show that the Forest department has auctioned Neelgiri trees on many occasions, he stated.

Fictitious documents
Two years ago, some local people started claiming the land by producing fictitious documents. These people are claiming that the government granted the land to them in 1930, which is false. “If the then government had really granted them the land, all beneficiaries should now be at least 79 years old. But majority of them are young and middle aged,” he alleged and stated no government is allowed to grant forest land to farmers under Akrama-Sakrama scheme.

The Forest department, therefore, has filed cases against all those encroaching on its land, including one named B N Byre Gowda, Revanna alleged. Earlier, when Revanna stood up to talk on the issue, Labour Minister B N Bachegowda raised objection saying that the matter is subjudice. At one stage, Revanna got so furious that he directly alleged that Bachegowda does not want the issue to be raised in the House as some of his close associates are involved in it.